During the month of October, pink ribbons cover business advertisements and Instagram stories. You may buy a pink shirt or see the giant sparkly pink ribbon covering The Citadel Outlets mall in Commerce, California. It’s breast cancer awareness month. It’s incredibly important to spread much-needed awareness and support for people impacted by this disease, but it’s also necessary to recognize all kinds of cancer; notably stage IV or metastatic breast cancer (MBC), which is in constant need for donations and research.

One of the biggest obstacles of MBC research is lack of funding. Only 2% to 5% of monetary reserves for breast cancer research is put toward metastatic cancer research, according to METAvivor. This is such a miniscule amount for a disease that takes the lives of 40,000 men and women every year. 

This is why METAvivor, a nonprofit organization dedicated to researching MBC and supporting those affected, coined the phrase “Don’t ignore Stage IV,” and is attempting to change the narrative. They’ve renamed and turned awareness month into “Fund the Research” month. 

Stage IV breast cancer occurs when the cancer spreads beyond the breast to other parts of the body. Over time, MBC cells become resistant to treatment – such as chemotherapy and various cancer drugs – which causes patients to switch drugs and treatments often. That said, there’s a constant need for new cancer drugs. There needs to be a more long-term solution. 

Look at the bigger picture and tack on the other issues from this month. With another country-wide spike of COVID-19 cases and the historic election that doesn’t seem to give us time to breathe, I’ve seen less support and awareness for breast cancer than I ever have before. My Instagram feed is less pink than previous Octobers. We have to frequently remind ourselves that cancer is still a serious issue, especially when stage IV research has yet to determine a viable cure.

No amount of “I love boobies” wristbands or “Save the ta-tas” T-shirts can do anything for cancer patients who’ve fought decades-long battles with their compromised immune systems. Though these sentiments are well-meaning, focusing on female body parts rather than on woman's health is extremely troubling. 

Breast cancer awareness can remain as just a social media post or a cupcake with pink sprinkles. Or, it can be taken to a new level that channels support into action, funneling donations and research into stage IV solutions that will inevitably help all breast cancer patients – not just those with MBC.

“We need more effective, well-tolerated treatment options,” METAvivor wrote on their Instagram. “We need more time. We need more than pink. We need more research.”

Columnist’s disclaimer: If you would like to donate to metastatic breast cancer research, please click the link here.